Recognised expertise in banknote printing

With a history of more than 200 years in the banknote industry, the Banque de France printing works has recognised expertise in the market. It is accredited by the European Central Bank, and is ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and ISO 37001 certified.

In line with its policy of constant modernisation, it has developed new security features and innovative technologies to increase the lifespan of banknotes. Its priority is to satisfy its customers' requirements through innovation and R&D.

3bn

The Banque de France's manufacturing facilities are capable of printing up to 3 billion banknotes a year, to the highest technical, quality and traceability standards.

20

More than half of the Chamalières printing works' production is devoted to printing foreign currency banknotes for some 20 countries around the world.

100yrs

Located in Chamalières in the Auvergne region, the Banque de France's banknote printing works has just celebrated its centenary.

A state-of-the-art facility for a highly technological product

The Banque de France's printing works is equipped with two complete sheet-fed printing lines (offset, intaglio, silkscreen printing, numbering and varnishing) incorporating the most up-to-date machines currently available on the market (KOMORI NV 532, SOI3 EVO). It also has fully automated finishing workshops, capable of ensuring 100% traceability, which transform piles of printed paper into pallets of banknotes ready to be dispatched, without any human intervention.

This equipment is capable of printing the most technically demanding banknotes, while guaranteeing one of the highest levels of productivity in the market. The Chamalières printing works also produces banknotes incorporating EverFit® technology, which considerably increases their lifespan.

A printing works at the centre of the modernisation of the cash industry

The Banque de France's printing works has met a major technological and operational challenge by printing a large portion of the new "Europa" range of banknotes, which were introduced in all euro area countries from 2013. Thanks to its EverFit® technology, it is also playing a leading role internationally in the modernisation of banknotes, ensuring their durability under all circulation conditions.